Automatic engine-starter.



1. w. BECK. AUTOMATIC ENGINE STARTER. APPLICAT|ON FILED AUG.27. 1915.

1,1 6]. ,827. I Patented Nov. 30, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Witnesses Inventor Attorneys J. W. BECK.

AUTOMATIC ENGINE STARTER.

APPLICATION F|LED AUG.27. 19x5.

1,161,827, Patented Nov. 30, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Witnesses Inventor razr/ww/ v y Attorneys JOHN WESLEY BECK, 0F

BELLEVUE, rnxns, ASSIG-NOR or nun-HALF ro NOLAN r.

GAINES, or IBELLEVUE, rnxas.

AUTOMATIC ENGINE-STARTER.

mower.

. Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 27, 1915." Serial No. 47,660.

To all, whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN W. BECK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bellevue, in the county of Clay and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Automatic Engine-Starter, of which the following 'is'a specification.

The present invention appertains to engine starters, and aims to provide a novel and improved automatic spring-actuated starter for internal combustion engines.

It is the object of the invention to provide a mechani ,m ofthe nature indicated 'appli-- cable to the crank shaft of the engine, or to any othershaft which 'is operatively connected-to the crank shaft, and so constructed, that when the engine is running, the

spring of the mechanism will be wound up,

and when the spring is wound up sufliciently, it will be disconnected from the shaft, but will'be held against, unwinding,

- an automatic spring-actuated starter of the.

so that when-the operating lever or member is moved properly spring may again be connected to the shaft, and this time to forcibly rotate the shaft to start the engine.

It is the object of the invention to provide nature indicated, which is comparatively simple ,and inexpensive in construction, which may be'applied to various shafts at various points of their lengths, which will:

bethoroughly practical and efiicient in operation, and which embodies: aminimum amount of parts.

view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of-const'ruction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changesinthe precise embodiment of the inventionherein disclosed can be made with- 1 in the scope'of whati's claimed without departing from the spirit of theinvention. The invention is illustrated inthejaccompanying drawings, whereinzi Figure 1 is a side elevation' -of the improved starter illustrating the same in idle up. Fig. 2

is a longitudinal section of the mechanism illustrating the spring wound up and connected to the shaft for actuating the same.

position with the spring wound Figs. 3 and 4 are cross sectional views taken on the lines 3-3 and 4-4, r spectively, of

at a subsequent time, the

details taken on the lines 55 and rep ly, of Fig. 1.

In carrying out the invention, there-i 1s .60-

provided a pair of standards or pedestals 1;;

Patented Nov.30,

.Fig. 1. Figs. 5 and 6 are enlar n [j .7

and 2 attached to the frame F, which may be the frame or chassis of an automobile, or V use upon automobiles, although it may be employed for other purposes as well.

The numeral 3 designates a portion of the crank shaft of the engine (not shown), although it may be taken to represent any shaft which is operatively connected to the engine, this shaft 3 being journaled through the pedestals 1 and 2. A gear wheel 4 is keyed 0r secured'upon the shaft 3 adjacent the pedestal 1, and is provided with a clutch hub 5, and a sleeve or tubular shaft 6 is mounted upon the shaft 3 for sliding and rotatory movements. One end of the sleeve 6 is provided with a clutch portion 7 cooperating with the clutch hub 5 ofthe gear wheel 4, and the other end of the sleeve 6 is also provided with a clutch portion 8-co6pcrating with the clutch portion 90f a second sleeve 10 mounted slidably upon the shaft'3. The sleeve 10 is slidable through a standard 11 attached to the frame F,'and is provided withlo'ngitudinal slots 12 receiving pins 13 and seating against the pedestal 2, whereby the sleeve10 is yieldably moved toward the sleeve 6 under the influence of the spring 14. The sleeve 6 extends loosely through a standard 16 secured to the frame F adjacent the pedestal 1, and a collar 17 is se-- cured upon thesleeve 6 adjacent the stand-- ard 16.. A leaf spring 18 is secured to the standard 16 and bears against the collar 17 foryieldably moving the sleeve 6 away from thegear wheel 4 and toward the sleeve 10. Itis to be understood that the springs 14 and Y18 need not be of the particular type illustrated, since any spring means may be employed for pressing the sleeves 10 and 6 toward one another yleldably. The spring 18 annually moves the sleeve 6 Into engagement with the sleeve 10' and away-from the clutch hub 5 of the gear wheel 4, as seen Fig. 1.

A spiral spring 19 has its inner end: Se cured to the sleeve 6 adjacentthe-"standard-J 16 at that side of the standard -otpposite'the --.:nhe'aae er end of the main spring 19-is connected to spring 18 and gear wheel 4', outstanding pin 20 carried'bylthe standard. 16, or to any other conven ent point;

A pair of arms'21 are pivotally engaged to an outstanding pin 22 carried by the standard 16 adjacent thepin 20,;and-the: arms 21 are provided at their free ends with arcuate jaws 23 straddling the coiled portion of the spiral main spring 19, as clearly;

seen in Fi 4. The arms 21' are connected by a flexib e element 24, in order that-when the spring 19 is unwound, it will separate the jaws 23 and thereby .tend to straighten out the cord or flexible element 24.

A relatively'large internal gear wheel 25 is keyed or secured upon the sleeve 6 adjacent that end of the sleeve having the clutch portion 8, the wheel 25 having internal teeth 25 which are relatively long.

This gear wheel 25 is operatively connected with the shaft 3 under certain conditions, as will hereinafter more fully appear.

Alever 26. is fulcrumed to the standard for sliding the sleeve 6 into engagement with the ear wheel 4, against the tension of the spring 18, the lever 26 having a fork 27 straddling a ring,28 mounted loosely upon the sleeve 'Gbetween the hub of the gear wheel25 and a collar 29 secured upon the sleeve"-6.- The ring 28 has trunnions 30 engaged by the arms of the fork 27 whereby when the lever 26 is swung, it will slide the sleeve 6 along-the shaft 3 without interfering with'the rotation of the sleeve 6. v

The means for oper'atively connecting the gear wheel 25'and the gear wheel 4 secured upon the shaft 3, embodies a movably mounted counter shaft 31' journaled for rotation through a movablebearing 32 containing roller or other anti-frictional bear- I ing elementsand disposed'loosely within an opening or recess 33 provided in the standard 16. The flexible element '24 passes over the bearing 32 andshaft31. A gear wheel '34 is secured uponone end of the counter shaft 31 to intermesh' with the gear wheel 4, the teeth of the gear wheels 4' and 34 being relativelylshort, anda gear wheel or pinion 35 is secured upon the other-end of the counter shaft 31 and is provided'with relatively long teeth intermeshing with the teeth 25 of the internal gear wheel 25. Thus, the

gear wheels 25 and 35 will stay in mesh while the gear wheels34 and 4 are brought into andout of mesh. a The hearing or boxing 32-is movable within the pening 33 to. and from the shaft 3 anflisleeve 6, and is provided with side plates ai /sea 36 overlapping the sides of'the standard 16 to'pro'perly guide the bearing 32, y The bear- .-ing 32' is, provided at that end nearest the sleeve 6 with an angularly extending'lug '37 adapted to be received by a notch'38 ext'endingfrom the opening 33 at the respective endgof said opening, whereby the" bearing held position with the gear wheel in mesjh with @theigear wheel 4. The cornets of thebearin or boxing 32 which work along the edge 0 the ,opening 33 are prowith suitable roller bearings 39,

V da" [whereby the bearing 32 will move easily when necessary.

In order to yieldably hold the lug 37 within the notch 38, and. to move the bearing 32 away from the sleeve 6' when the lug 37 is released, an oblique yoke 40 is terminally attached to the side plates 36*of. the bearing 32, and the intermediate portion of the yoke 40 is slidable upon an oblique stem 41 carried by the standard 16 and projectin'gfaway from the sleeve 6, a coiled wire expansion spring 42 being disposed upon the'stem 41 between the yoke 40 and a nut or adjusting member 43 threaded upon the stem, 41. The

'32 to disengage the gear wheel 34 from the gear wheel 4. The sleeve 6 engaging'flie" non-rotatable sleeve 10 will prevent the sleeve 6 fromrotatingunder the influence of the main spring 19, so that the main spring will not unwind prematurely. Now,

to rotate the shaft 3 for starting the engine, the lever 26 is operated by"the hand or in any other suitable manner, to move thesleeve 6 away from the sleeve 10, as seen in Fig. 2, and into engagement with the clutch hub 5 of the gear wheel 4. This will release the sleeve 6 so that the spring 19 can I unwind, and the shaft 3 will be rotated with the sleeve 6 to turn over the cranks of the en ne for startingit. The lever 26 is imis brought into play, which will disengage sleeve 6 into engagement with the sleeve 10.

The spring 19- in unwindingwill separate I the arms .21 and thereby pull the flexible element 24 toward a straight line position,

which results in said element forcing the bearing or boxing 32 toward the sleeve 6 a'gainst'the tension of the spring 42. The lug 37 will then snap into the notch 38- under 'mediately released as soon as the spring 19 so, the sleeve 6 from the shaft 3,- or the gear wheel'4 thereof, and/will again bring the j' I I hold the bearing 32 in position with the gear wheel 34 in mesh'with-v the gear wheel 4.,

The engine having been started will cause the gearwheel 34-. to be'rotated with the gear wheel 4, so that the gear, wheel 25 will be rotated by the shaft 31, and this will cause the sleeve 6 to be rotated in a direction opposite to the rotation of the shaft 3 for winding the main spring 19. When the is moved away from the notch 38, to disengage the lug 37 from said notch, and the spring 42 will then immediately move the bearing 32 awayfrom the sleeve 6, as seen in Fig. 3, to disengage the gear wheel 34 from the gear wheel 4. The spring 19 is thus disconnected from the shaft 3 after the spring is woundup, and'the sleeve 6 being held by thesleeve 10 will prevent the spring 19 from I unwinding. Thespring 19 is thus wound upf for 'again starting the engine at a subsequent time, the power being'stored in the spring 19 for this purpose.

The present mechanism is entirely automatic in operation and requires no manual attention for winding up the main spring,

it only being necessary for the operator to operate the lever or] actuating member 26 when it is desired to. start. the engine. The gear wheel or pinion- '35 being of much smaller diameter than the gear wheel 25 will provide a gear ratio whereby the spring 19 can be slowly wound up by theshafty3 Without the liability of retarding or arrestingjthe motion'of the engine.

. I Having thus described the inventiom what is claimed as new is:

"1. In a mechanism of the character described, a shaft, a sleeve thereon, aspring connected to said sleeve, means for sliding the sleeve upon the shaft, means for preventing'the rotation of the sleeve when it is moved in one direction, means for connecting the sleeve to the shaft when it is slid in the other direction, an internal gear wheel secured to the sleeve, a counter shaft, a pinion secured to the counter shaft and meshing with the internal gear wheel, a

pair ofgear wheels secured to said shafts and adapted to be brought into and out of mesh, and means for automatically bringing amovably mounted counter shaft, a pinion carried by the counter shaft and meshing at all times with the internal gear'wheel, a

pair of gear wheels secured to "said shafts and adapted to be brought into and out of mesh, means for moving said counter shaft toward the first mentioned shaft when the spring is unwound, and means for holding said counter shaft when itis moved toward the first mentioned shaft and for moving it away from the first mentioned shaft when the spring-is wound up.

3. In a mechanism of the character described, a shaft,a sleeve thereon, a spring connected to the sleeve, means for sliding the sleeve, means for preventing the rota- ,tion of the sleeve when it is slid in one direction, means for connecting the sleeve with the shaft when the sleeve is slid in the other direction, a movably mounted counter shaft, gears continually connecting said counter shaft and sleeve, a second set of gears for connecting said shafts, and means for mounting said counter shaft whereby when the spring is unwound and wound up it will bring the second set of gears into. and out 'ofmesh, respectively.

4'. In a mechanism of the character described, a shaft, a sleevethereon, a spring connected to the sleeve, means for sliding the sleeve, means for preventing the rotation of the sleeve when it is slid in one direction, means for connecting the sleeve with the shaft when it is slid in the other direc tion, a movable bearing, a supporting memberv for said bearing, a counter shaft journaled through said bearing, gears continually connecting said counter. shaft and sleeve, a second set of gears for connecting said shafts, said bearing and supporting member having interengageable means for holding the second set of gears in mesh and arranged to be disengaged when the spring is wound up. means for moving the bearing toward the first mentioned shaft when the spring is unwound, and spring means for holding the bearing in engagement with the supporting member and for moving the bearing away from the sleeve when the hearing is released, to disengage the second set of gears and to allow said second set of gears to come into mesh when the spring is unwound.

5. In a mechanism of the character described, a shaft, a sleeve thereon, a spring connected to the sleeve, means for sliding the sleeve, means for preventing the rotation ofthe sleeve when it isslid in one direction, means for connecting the sleeve with the shaft when it is slid in the other direction, an internal gear wheel secured to the sleeve, a movable bearing, a supporting member for said bearing having an opening and a notch, the bearing being disposed in sald openlng and having a lug engageable in said notch when the bearing is moved toward the sleeve, a-counter shaft 'journaled through said bearing, a pinion' carried by the counter shaft and continually meshing with said internal gear wheel, a pair of gear wheels secured to said shafts and adapted to be brought into and out of mesh when the bearing is moved toward and away from the sleeve, respectively, means for moving the bearing toward the first mentioned. shaft when the spring is unwound, and spring means connected to said heating for holding said lug in said notch and for moving the bearing away from said sleeve when the spring is wound up, said lug being disengaged from said notch when the spring is wound up, and the bearing being moved toward the sleeve when the spring is unwound to engage said lug in said notch.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

. JOHN WESLEY BECK. Witnesses:

L. B. MOORE,

Gno'. L. WELCH. 

